Ah sofa throws - my suite is about 10 years old now and showing its age - at least 4 bottoms regularly plonked on it and the dog A couple of years ago I bought some throws, they were ok but constantly coming off and they also got tatty so were relegated for garage rags.

Racked brains and took a trip to The Range, and bought a pair of lined curtains in a lovely patterned fabric for £25. Slipped the back 2 cushions between the curtain and lining so its kept in place and then tucked them over the bottom cushions and tucked underneath. Its really rejuvenated it. I can see you're going to say what about the 3rd piece of the suite? Well this is a chair (the other 2 are settees) so I bought a plain brown fleece blanket (the same as the background clour of the curtains) as the dog is the only person who usually sits on this chair.

If you were being frugal you could look in charity shops for second hand lined curtains....

If you have 2 pairs of tights the same colour, both with a hole in one leg only you can cut that leg off and wear them double, extra holding power for the knickers.Come to that, you could cut both legs of and use them in summer.

ive only just read this post! im doing the same as from now! have been living way above our means for so long now were in the sh*t! and its frightened us both.ive got a part time job after being a stay at home mum(and a carer for my eldest son) been there for 5 months and love it my hubby works away and now only comes home weekends to save on the petrol. have decided nothing will be done with the house unless we have the paint in the garage or its left over from a job my husband has done, no clothes for us we have far too many as it is and lucklily my daughter has clothes from cousins and friends so she never needs any.we never go out other than walking the dogs have really halve by grocery shopping and kids understand, my son has a trip to germay next year but hes saved up half for it and we will pay the other half but other than that hopefully no big bills.i feel a sense of excitiment (sad i know) about getting our debts out of the way i dont want to ever go tru what we have in the last couple of months!

My wife and I had run up our credit card to a scary amount and decided never again.That was about 2 years ago, it is now paid off.We do use it occasionally for large purchases but pay it off when the bill comes in so no interest but we get the insurance cover

Hello, just found this forum (looking for info about chicken poo!!) and reading your thread had me in fits of giggles, especially the image of your dog running off with your knickers

Anyways I'm trying to do what you're doing so wanted to say you're doing brill and keep it up and thanks to whoever linked to the brown dress story - really interesting. I've never been one to splurge much but have sometimes been tempted by the 'well it's such a bargain it'd be silly not to' type of thinking but have found that staying away from the shops really helps and I've also decided that if I do need somerthing I'll try to get it from Freegle in the first instance or secondhand at least, for ethical as well as financial reasons. The longer I've been doing it the less difficult it's been - to the point where I really don't like to think of buying something new nowadays. Anyways off to bed now but will drop in again.

I have been really good, MO, Meanqueen am trying the leg cut off tights thing. I dont think that its silly, its quite a good idea as some of these tights although old were quite expensive. The odd legs are being saved as I now have a rag bag that I am going to make a draft excluder out of.

Mum of four you need to keep at it, the first couple of months are the hardest, and I am lucky that I dont have children to have to think of. What I have found food wise is that you need to use a smaller shop for food shopping. I have found that at the bigger supermarkets there is too much choice, i would over fill the trolley thinking that would be nice rather than thinking about meals we ended up having a lot of waste (shamefull) now when I shop I have a meal plan and buy semi sort of planned meals, I have cut the food bill by half AND have absolutely no waste what so ever. Its not a strict meal plan just like well pasta for thursday (but the pasta can be eaten any day as long as there is no fresh about to go out of date) Its more a case of only buying 7 proper meals rather than thinking ohh i like that and that and that.

I like the curtain idea, I still havent got the throws but something is going to have to be done as Basil has eaten a further 2 cushions (git) so he now has to go to work with Glen. I could actually make large bolster cushions with them if i find the right pair. I have looked and they are definately cheaper than material i have seen.

Went through the wardrobe yesterday and do you know there are still clothes in there that I havent even worn this year! how on earth I could have warrented buying new when I obviously have so much stuff that I dont need to wear everything that I have. I am not putting summer stuff away as most of it can be worn with thick tights and a cardi or a jumper (although I cant find any jumpers- how have I managed before? do I need to buy jumpers if I havent needed them?)The even better news is I have sold enough stuff of my own on Ebay to cover the cost of the tea pot Hurrah. I can look at that now without feeling guilty.

I am going to do this, I am going to suck it up and not buy myself anything this year, there is not long to go. We have an xmas list (people do ask) and have asked for things like tights, pants (yes I know getting others to get pants for me I may end up with more flags or arm pit warmers but atleast I wont need a vest) This is do able.

We definately live in a disposable society, and I am quite enjoying bucking the trend.

That post is heart warming Spudley, and oh so true. Shops want you to buy on a whim. it takes a heck of a lot of will power to resist at first. Eventually you get the hang of it and dont allow yourself to be bullied. I have just been given the hard sell by a car salesman, he didn't listen to me, so I won't be buying off him.

Meanqueen wrote: I have just been given the hard sell by a car salesman, he didn't listen to me, so I won't be buying off him.

Stick with it, the customer is supreme. Well done Ilona

Didn't get the Bently after all then? Well done spudz, you seem to have it all wrapped up. I used to use the legs off old tights (got them off my mum) to hold aquaqrium filter media, they are ideal for the purpose.

Went to the bank yesterday, I was really pleasently suprised, and I had just paid electricery bill and years car tax!!! IT has taken some time but the none speanding appears to have caught me up. Its looking good for a further mortgage payment. Glen wanted to do it yesterday but I said no lets keep it so I can look at it again, plus it means that we will not struggle over xmas, and as an extra treat I am going to order some coal.Glen went through the old stack boxes and found some of my old boots. This means that the falling to pieces shoes WILL last the rest of the year. This means that this is the first ever year that I have NOT bought myself shoes. I cant believe it, I AM REALLY CHUFFED WITH MYSELF.

Have sorted out bad and good tights, have made one mixed pair, the others with only a few holes in I am keeping to wear under better tights under a long skirt to make them thicker and warmer, plus as a bonus mum has given me an early xmas pressie, a new set of thermals!! long sleaved this time and supper long johns. Not v sexy i know but lovely and warm. This has reduced the need for jumpers, I will like last year manage with what I have got. I am so going to do this and feel really pleased.

Right thenNearly lost the plot towards the end ther.I had to get some more cushions, and two thows for the snug, then I really needed work shoes so ended up spending 24.99, but wont be wearing them till this year, so does that count.

In total last year 2010 saw me spend (apart from the tea pot) just under £150.00for stuff in the house (out of that I had a book and a pair of shoes too)

I am stunned that I mananged to do it. I was able to pay a considerable sum off the mortgage, my car insurance house insurance off in one this year, a whole years car tax, a full tank of oil for my mother (needed to make sure that she was not afraid to put the heating on) A new fire plus flu linning and fitting for the snug (obviously not included in the 150.00 but a nessecity as the old one was condemed-and what a difference that has made)Plus we have treated ourselves to 8 bags of furnicite coal from the coal man as a treat.And to make sure that I have shared the lurve my family have had more than a little extra for christmas this year. I could have made a further smaller payment off the mortgage but I wanted them all to have something that little bit nicer. Afterall giving also makes me happy.

top tip for me. Dont take cash out of the bank, it goes much faster you get rid of the odd 1 or 2 pounds much easier if you have them in your purse.Buy better quality as opposed to cheap when it comes to under wear, works out much cheaper and comfortable-less embarrasing problems in the long run.Dont be conned into buying BOGOFFS unless you know that you will definatley use them (leads to possible waste in the long run), especially if you dont normally use the product and are only buying as you think that its cheap for the two- stick to what you know.nearly everything in the house can be reused for something else

So what for 2011? well do you want to know? I have a plan, a cunning plan.

Should I start a 2011 thread or are you all fed up of me going on?- its going to be a making money as well as a frugal saving money thread?